iamgeorge Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I’ve seen a few posts here and on the Fractal Forum.. So here’s my 2c worth on the Friedman ASM-12, having owned two myself. Loved them. Bought them purely because they were/are the closest thing to what a real cab sounds like, which was important to me. Yes, it’s FRFR and does the FRFR thing quite well, BUT, it does the ‘real sounding cab thing’ better than any other FRFR solution - this was what got me over the line. It was a no-brainer to buy. I used to own the Atomic CLR wedge and strongly disliked it. Too artificial sounding, didn’t sound anything like what I thought a mic’d up cab should sound like. Normal music sounded good through it, but playing your guitar through it didn’t cut it, not even close. I also owned 3 different active Alto speakers (a couple old Alto Elvis 10’ & 12’ which were actually quite good for a budget speaker). Might be a good time to just acknowledge that this is obviously very subjective; what sounded good to me may not sound good to you etc etc and vice versa. Having owned two Friedman BE100, Bogner XTC, 3 different H&K amps, EVH 5153, ENGL Steve Morse and Powerball etc (some decent amps I might add..), I had a pretty good idea what my ears would naturally gravitate towards tone-wise and cab-wise. I’ve only ever played 4x12 & 2x12s that were V30 loaded or combo V30+Creamback, if that helps. So, after years of playing these amps through these cabs, my ears have memory of the tone (if that makes any sense) and I knew what I would naturally like, or expect to hear. Back to the ASM.. It’s bulky and a little bit awkward to carry, but it’s worth the awkwardness given the sound that you get is precise but not over the top. It’s the only FRFR speaker that sounds very close to a real cab and pushes the air – which is what real cabs do, right!?! You can have it in the wedge position or the upright position. I kept it in the upright position 95% of the time. It could keep up with my other guitarists 100W JCM900 and delivered a good mid punch which I think A LOT of FRFR solutions really lack. Again, YMMV. Lastly, because I’m quite OCD, I had a couple custom covers made up for them because the shiny outer material looks like it can damage/scratch quite easily. Credit to Dave Friedman, the man makes some killer amps and some killer products in general, really. If I was to revisit the FRFR path, I’d get an ASM. Why did I get rid of them?!? Simply, I don’t play FRFR anymore – I’ve gone full circle and use my Helix to drive my amp which is my ‘A’ rig, and I use my Axe FX-ii with a valve power amp (VHT), which is my ‘B’ rig, into a Mesa vertical 2x12 cab.. actually, I use my two 2x12 vertical Mesa cabs! Awesome sound. Anyway, for what it’ worth I hope this helps. If anyone wants the specs for these custom covers that I got made up for it, just send me a PM. Georgy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 It’s the only FRFR speaker that sounds very close to a real cab and pushes the air – which is what real cabs do, right!?! This really isn't directed at you per se, I just wish someone could explain to me how this phrase came to be used to distinguish what a guitar cabinet does from any other speaker in the universe. They all push air...that's how sound travels. Yes, the frequency responses differ...but give me a speaker that doesn't push air, and I'll need a sign language interpreter at my next gig. ;) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricstudioc Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I just wish someone could explain to me how this phrase came to be used to distinguish what a guitar cabinet does from any other speaker in the universe. They all push air ...and all cars go from one place to another - ever driven a Road Runner 426 Hemi? Raw, unashamed power with a place to sit. It's 1973, and my 'lil "local heroes" band opens for Foghat - we have the same lineup and the crew asks if, to save time, we'd mind using their gear. I've been using a little combo, "their gear" is a lineup of full Marshall double stacks. At sound check I plug in, come off Standby, and standing about 10 feet out from the amp line I bash a "G" chord - and my pants legs (remember bell-bottoms?) literally ripple - I can FEEL the breeze...! I immediately fall in love - inside the month I've got me a Marshall... I feel confident in citing that experience (as duplicated by many many others) as the origin of the phrase. One of the best things about the advances in amp - and now modeling - tech has been the ability to get "that sound" without the need to attend the Pete Townsend School of Lip Reading. In the modern realm "moving air" (IMHO) has more to do with a certain visceral quality perceived by the player, than actually being able to blow out a candle 10ft from the amp... Good times....! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 ...and all cars go from one place to another - ever driven a Road Runner 426 Hemi? Raw, unashamed power with a place to sit. No, but I have straddled my share of bikes that are street legal, but probably shouldn't be...so I hear ya! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glideman Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I've found mine a little dark compared to anything else. I've been using 15" coaxial powered monitor more than I have the Friedman. Not saying it's not good, but I'd have to re-EQ all my patches or start using the global EQ (which would then require me me to make more adjustments on the PA channel). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunpointmetal Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 How did your tones sound DI to the board when you set them up to sound right through the Friedman's? I've tried a few different things and most PA speakers are really bright compared to guitar cabs, but I always sounded pretty much exactly out front as I did through my monitors, and with a stereo pair of `12" PA speakers I could get plenty of "pants flapping". But when I've tried to used a hybrid (amp models w/o cabs to a real guitar amp/FOH DI with cab models) I would have to run two entirely separate effects chains to get the amp models and DI models to sound similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glideman Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I've never tried the Friedman at a gig and haven't hooked it up to the PA at the house and listened to both. Guess I'll have to give it a whirl... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astroturf Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Thank you... I found the OP incredibly useful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunpointmetal Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I got to run my Helix with my 9-string through a friends and I would agree that the single 12 could hang with most half stacks at reasonably loud levels. definitely very "cab-like". Way too heavy and not enough of a sound difference over the pair of Mackie Thumps I've been using, at least not for the price. Sucker was kinda huge and heavy, but I did like where the crossover was voiced for a little extra mid punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I used to own the Atomic CLR wedge and strongly disliked it. Too artificial sounding, didn’t sound anything like what I thought a mic’d up cab should sound like. Each to their own and YMMV, but there are plenty of folks that swear by these... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 but there are plenty of folks that swear by these... And, it seems, plenty who swear at 'em - ouch! 😉 Each to their own. 😜 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Each to their own. Yes, as always YMMV. For instance I much prefer my FireHawk 1500 over the CLR's I had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 If I was to revisit the FRFR path, I’d get an ASM. I found this thread after asking about them... Now, that statement is an endorsement! I just wonder if you regret selling them no matter what you are using now? A little history... I ask because (OCD a bit as well at least on the holy grail of tone)..., My wonderful Line-6 Firehawk-1500 got shafted the other day via an editor upgrade (which now won't allow my iPad-2 to use it). Seems u need iOS version 10 to use the editor, and the iPad 2 (and many others) are stuck at 9.35 or so. Great amp for FRFR, but I'm not buying a new iPad just to use an editor (that used to work just fine before the update). I want it all to work- So, it may be up for sale soon. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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